Make Fabric-Covered Birdhouses — using Outdoor Mod Podge!

June 19, 2012

The other day I opened a big box of Mod Podge products from Plaid Crafts.

It was like Christmas in June!!

There were so many new products– I couldn’t wait to get started!!

I’ve been working on sprucing up my backyard and I have always wanted to try the Outdoor version of Mod Podge. I had some birdhouses in my bedroom that don’t really fit in with my decor in there now. I bought them about 10 years ago, and I thought it might be fun to do something with them in my yard.

So I took some fabric and decoupaged it onto the birdhouses. I think it gives them a new updated. modern look!! And to display them in my yard, I mounted them on some 4×4 posts I picked up at my hardware store.

I also added a little bit of whimsical trim I also found at the hardware store. Can you believe this is trim that you buy to go with corrugated metal roofing?? I loaded up my cart and I think the hardware store workers were wondering what I was doing with it LOL.

The first thing I did was I traced the birdhouse fronts onto some craft paper.

Then I cut that silhouette out and pinned it onto the fabric I wanted to use.

I cut the fabric pattern out and laid it onto the front of the birdhouse. Since I had a drawer(s) in the middle of the birdhouse, I traced the opening with a pencil. Then I cut it out. The middle part I used to mod podge the drawer.

I also traced the round hole and cut that out.

Then I added a layer of outdoor Mod Podge to the front of the birdhouse and then laid it on top of the birdhouse. I immediately smoothed the fabric out using a new Mod Podge tool. It’s great.Don’t push too hard or the fabric might stretch and become too big.

Once the fabric was smoothed out, I added a layer of Outdoor Mod Podge to the top of the fabric and let it dry.

After the birdhouses were Mod Podged and the Mod Podge had dried, I added the trim. I mitered the edges of the trim and then applied it to the bottom of the birdhouses. First I added some wood glue to the bottom of the bird houses. Then I laid the first piece of trim and then nailed them to the bottom of the birdhouses. I did this with all four pieces of the trim.

The nails did go through the bottom of the birdhouse (I took the drawers out first). After nailing them through, I snipped off the ends with some heavy-duty wire snips.

I also added a drawer pull to one of the birdhouses. I think it’s so pretty.

Then I made some little Mod Podgeable Tags to go on the outside of the birdhouses. These are so fun. You can use them to make necklaces and so much more. They are different sizes and shapes of clear tags and you can Mod Podge the front or back of the tags. You can also embellish them. So many possibilities. I used some of the leftover fabric and used the Outdoor Mod Podge along with some letters in the paper booklets to spell out “FLY” and “Soar” and then I attached them to the birdhouses.

The last thing we did was put the posts in the ground and added birdseed to the drawers.

Ella also made some necklaces for her and her “bestie” — a tutorial on how to make those necklaces is coming up soon.

so, I guess every one else loves these as much as I do……they’re great. I have my little back yard garden, and have bird houses that are inhabited…but these would be fantastic. Do you think they would hold up in our NW weather??

Thanks for getting back to me! At least now I know what’s going on so I will be patient! My son is building a birdhouse with his dad,but don’t think he’d let me mod podge chevron on it-haha! Will have to use this idea sometime though.

I’ve always wondered about outdoor mod podge… these look so fabulous! I love how they look all together. Also, I know what you mean about the guys at the hardware store wondering what you were doing with that corrugated piece. I’m always buying random stuff and they look at me funny, like, “Do you know what you’re doing with this?” Ha. If only they knew the possibilities.

Help!!!! Just wanted to add that I finally was allowed to comment and that the page took forever to load for me. Just a head’s up Jen in case there is a problem on your end. Or it could be my computer don’t know,but am upset because I LOVE your blog and I can’t get into any of your posts. I hit the read more button and the page is completely blank and won’t load. It’s a miracle I got in this one. If anyone is more computer literate than I and knows what’s going on and could let me know I’d appreciate it! If I can even get back in here again…

I love the look of your bird houses! So cute! Too bad it is taking so long for the pics to load. Is there something new you did to the site, your blog is the only one that is taking forever to load lately?

Hi guys!! I know!!! I am so frustrated. I am so sorry that my site is taking so long to load. I am moving to a new hosting company and server at the end of the week. The new company tells me that my site will load at least 6 times faster. So yay!!!!!! I hope you will continue following me. It means so much to me.

[…] Stop it some more right? This is the cutest birdhouse idea I have seen in forever. I’m planning on making mine today because this will really brighten up my back patio. Using fabric and some handy mod podge you bring new life to your old birdhouses. I don’t have a birdhouse now, but they are only $6.99 at my local Joanne Fabrics so I am heading there to buy the house, some colorful fabric, and twine. I sure hope the little birdies appreciate the work I’m gonna put into their spring home! Check out the directions for creating these mini mansions at Tatertots & Jello. […]